Apron construction



March 20, 1934. H. WAGENFELD 1,951,380

APRON CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 13, 1933 3nventor attorney Patented Mar. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,951,380 APRON CONSTRUCTION Harry Wagenfeld, Philadelphia, Pa. Application September 13, 1933, Serial No. 689,184

My invention relates construction and the 7 Claims.

t0 a new and useiul apron like, and it relates more particularly to a novel construction in aprons and barbers hair gown, conventional tie string, apron string,

or the like, whereby the or other fastening strings are eliminated, With its attendant disadvantages in practice, and whereby an elastic fastener tape is provided in such a way as to be entirely concealed when not in use, without, however, any distortion, gathering, or sbirring of the garment when the elastic fastener member is contracted in the inoperative position, so that in laundering the garment and in packing or storing the garment, no creases or folds will be produced by reason o member.

One of the objects of the presence of the elastic my present invention is to provide means whereby the apron or barbers hair gown, or the like may usual interference of t be laundered without the he tie strings or tapes and without the resultant damage to these tie strings or tapes.

Another object of my present invention is to provide an elastic fastener member or connector member, so arranged the elastic connector memto some extent both against laundering the apron ber may be protected in the apron that in apron in the Zone of the ber.

elastic cOnnector mem- With the above and other objects in view, which will appear more fully from the following detailed description, my invention consists of a novel apron and barbers hair gown construction, Where in a generally elongated and tubular housing is provided on one side, saidhousing containing an elastic band with the relation to the housing inner end thereof in fixed and having button-like abutment at its outer end which is adapted to be inserted into a button-hole on the other side of the apron or barbers hair gown for establishing a detachable engagement between the two sides of the apron or barbers hair gown through said elastic band.

My invention further consists of other novel features Which Will appear more fully from the following detailed description.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I

have shown in the acc thereof which are at ompanying drawing forms present preferred by me,

since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Figure 1 represents an elevational view of an apron embodying my invention, shown in the open or fiat condition;

Figure 2 represents a fragmentary portion of the apron on a much enlarged scale and partly broken away, so as to expose to view the interior of the tubular tape-housing;

Figure 3 represents a perspective view, on a much enlarged scale, of the outer end of the tapehousing and elastic tape;

' Figure 4: represents a perspective view of the apron shown in actual use;

Figure 5 represents a perspective view of a barbers hair gown embodying my invention.

My present invention is applicable either t0 ordinary aprons, such as the apron 10 shown in Figures 1 and 4, or to a barbers hair gown 11, as shown in Figure 5.

In either of the embodiments of my invention, I preferably provide a generally fiat, tubular housing 12, which may be made of a fairly formretaining, though flexible rubber, of any suitable length, Which is inserted into the hem 13 of the apron 10 or into the upper edge 14 of the barbers hair gown 11. This tubular housing may be fastened in place by sewing, by wirestaples, or otherwise. v

The tubular rubber housing 12 may be of any suitable length desired, and within it is disposed an elastic tape or elastic band 15, the inner end of which is preierably fastened to the housing by a wire staple 16 or other fastening means which extends through the tape and housing and firmly unites the two, and at the same time tends to close the inner end of the tubular housing. The tape 15 is preferably doubled, as indicated particularly in Figures 2 and 3, With the fold thereof extending through an aperture 17 in the button-like terminal portion 18, Which is also preferably made of a form-retaining, though relatively soit rubber. The abutment 18 includes the shank 19 and the head 20. When the device is in the inoperative condition, as indicated in 1 Figures 1 and 2, the elastic band 15 is drawn completely into the housing with the head 20 of the abutment device 18 bearing against the outer end of the housing 12 and thereby closing the outer opening 21 thereof. In this condition the greater thickness, as is device may be laundered, that is, both washed and ironed, without any strings or tapes being entangled in the rolls of the ironer or otherwise entangled. Because .of the relatively fiat and resilient character of the housing 12 and of the head 20, the device may ce put through the usual laundering operations without harm to any of the equipment. In use, the button 20 is pulled out, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, and the head 20 slipped through the button-hole 22, so as to interlock therewith, as indicated in Figures 4 and 5.

By reason of the relatively form-retaining character of the housing 12, the elastic connector member 15 may be fully withdrawn into the housirig in the inoperative condition, as indicated particularly in Figure 2, without shirring or gathering the hem portion of the apron in the zone of the elastic member 15. Thus, the housing 12, by reason of its form-retaining quality, resists any tendency of the elastic connector member 15, to gather or shir the hem portion of the apron. Nevertheless, the housing 12 is suficiently pliable to be put through the ironing rollsof the ironing machine, as well as through the other operations of commercial laundering practiCes. It will also beobserved that While the relatively fiat side walls of the generally tubular housing 12 are relatively thin, so that the aggregate thickness of the housing is kept clown as much as possible, so as to be relatively inconspicuous in the finished garment, yet the longitudinal end walls or edge Walls of the housing 12 are of relatively apparent in Figures 2 and 3, so that the relatively thickened edge portions of the tubular housing will tend to resist the pressure of the ironing relis and thus tend to relieve the inner elastic connector member of some of the pressure of the ironing rolls. In this 40 manner some protection is aiorded the elastic connector member 15, both against the heat as well as against the pressure of the ironing rolls and the ironing apron of the ironing machine, 50 as to tend to preserve the elasticity and life of the elastic connector member 15.

By my present invention the use of tic strings or tapes is entirely eliminated and the durability of the fastening means is greatly increased.

I am aware that my invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiments to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing de scription, to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I hereby claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:

1. An apron, barbers hair gown or the like, comprising a body portion adapted to fold around the wearerand adapted to have its two opposite edges detachably fastened to each other about the wearer when in use, including a generally tubular and form-retaining housing on one side of the garment, an elastic connector member disposed within said housing with its inner end in generally fixed relation thereto, and having an abutment at its outer end exteriorly of the housing, and means on the other side of the garment for receiVing said abutment and for establishing detachable engagement therewith;said elastic connector member being adapted to be housed within said housing when the device is not in use.

2. An apron, barbers ha-r gown or the like, comprising a body portion adapted to fold around the wearer and adapted to have its two opposite edges detachalbl fastened to each other about the Wearer when in use, including an elastic connector member on one side of the garment having. its inner end fixedly secured to the garment and having its outer end slidably mounted With relatien to the edge of the garment, an abutment carried by said elastic connector member, formretaining means associated with said elastic connector member to prevent the gathering of the germent by said elastic connector member when the latter is in an inoperative condition, and means on the other side of the garment for receiving said abutment and for establishing detachable engagement therewith;said elastic connector member, when contracted in the inoperative condition, being retracted in the boundaries of the body of the garment. r

3. An apron or the like, 'comprising a body por' tion adapted to fold around the wearer and adaptedto have its two opposite edges detachably fastened to each other about the wearer when in use, including a generally tubular and formretaining housing on one side of the garment, an elastic connector member disposed within said housing With its inner end in generally fixed relation thereto, and having fastening means at its outer end, and means on the other side of the garment for receiving said fastening means and for establishing detachable engagement therewith;-said elastic connector member being adapted to be housed within said housing,when the device is not in use.

4. An apron or the like, comprising a body portion adapted to fold around the ,wearer and adapted to have its two opposite edges detachably fastened to each other about the wearer when in use, including an elastic connector member on one sideof the garment having its inner end fixedly secured to the garment and having its outer end slidably mounted with relation to the edge of the garment, fastening means carried by said elastic connector member at its outer end, form-retaining means associated With said elastic connector member to prevent the gathering of the garment by said elastic connector when the latter is in an inoperative condition, and means on the other side of the garment for receiving said fastening means and for establishe ing detachable engagement therewith;sad

elastic connector member, when contracted in.

the inoperative condition, being restricted wholly to within the boundaries of the body of the garment.

5. An apron, hair-gown, or the like, comprising a body portion adapted to fold around the wearer and adapted to have its opposite edges detachably fastened to each other about the wearer when in use, including an elastic connector member adapted to be housed within folds .of the garment material, having its inner end fixedly secured to the garment and having its outer end slidably mounted in relation to the edge of the garment, an abutment carried by said elastic connector member, and means for stiffening the material of the garment in the zone et the elastic member for protecting said elastic member during laundering operations, and for preventing the gathering of the body of the garment by said elastic member when the latter is in an inoperative condition, and means for receiving said abutment and for establishing dewholly to with tachable engagement between 11; and the ether side of the garment.

6. An apron, hairgown or the like, comprising a body portion adapted to feld around the wearer and adapted to have its opposite edges detachably fastened to each other about the wearer when in use, including a pliable, though fermretaining, generally tubular housing carried on ene side of the garment and permanently affixed thereto, an e1astic connecter member adapted to be housed within said housing and having its inner end fixedly secured, an abutment carried by the outer end et said elastic connecter member, and means on the other side of the garment fer receiving said abutment and for establishing detachable connectien therewith.

HARRY WAGENFELD. 

